A birthday wish for my oldest girl

Dear ATL, Happy Birthday. Today you turn 19 years old. How can that be? I swear I only blinked! It seems like yesterday I was carrying around your not-nearly-one-year-old brother while you grew in my tummy. Crazy 26 year old me. But then you arrived on a ridiculously cold snowy day like this one. I was nursing a cold and a fever, and strangely enough a cold sore - in the exact same place I have one today. (I haven't had a cold sore in well over a year. Hmmm.) You were tiny and beautiful and I was so grateful for the gift of a baby girl. And now...you're 19. I am in awe of your heart and passion and the light you carry wherever you go. It shines from within you. You are beautiful and loving and smart and funny and enthusiastic and gifted. You are also opinionated and strong willed and stubborn and loud and a drive me crazy! But all of this combined makes you...you. And I'm so very proud. I love watching you grow musically and artistically. I love watching you find yourself and develop your own identity. I love watching you become a woman. A woman who loves people. A woman who loves making others happy. A woman who is desperately in love with the God who created her and is not scared to declare it to the world. Face your fears. Never tire of learning and growing. Never be afraid to step outside of the box because of what others will think. Never stop reaching. Never stop loving others passionately as you do...even though, you will get hurt...you will leave a mark they will never forget. Never fear trying something new. Never stop being goofy and ridiculous and crazy. I promise to love you always. And I will always be right behind you cheering you on (possibly rolling my eyes). I love you baby girl. Happy Birthday. ~ mom